Sewing machine



16, 1943. c. F. WHITAKER 2,

SEWING MACHINE Filed March 11, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 C. F. WHITAKER SEWING MACHINE Nov. 16, 1943.

Filed March 11, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Nov. 16, 1943 Y TED.

I sewm CHI E l I s Carl I Wli itakerfibcyerly, Mass, assignor to f I United Shoe Machineryflorporation, Flemingt on, J., a corporation of New Jerse y A 1 A pli at on ean, 194 ,fs r ia11No, 38 2,1677

The present ihventionyrelatesto shoezsewing machinespand more-- particularly to improvements in :machines for, sewingpa welt, to the marginal portion of an ,outsole before ,either'is attached to the shoe upper;

In, the manufacture of cemented shoes, is

the usual practice to cut the outsolertosubstahutiallydtsi: finished size, leaving, practically! no marginiyto be trimmed aways:In,;.order.;.that' the finishedshoemay resemble, in appearance aishoex having a Goodyear: welt. outse'am, there is secur'edyto lthezoutsole, beforethe insole and upper are attached, aweltr extending around the fore part of the shoe,:.the.welt having, its

grain surface exposed and being securedato the permitthe welt-:to lie fflataround' the curved edges of the zicutsole, there is wfrequentlyi emplayed a welt having a reduced or feathered ,edge; which edge extends inwardlyccf the sole 'qedge theriunreduced portion of -the welt lying along themargimofthe outsole'. The inclined surfacepf thewelt thus servesas a seat ,for the upper, while the roughened surface t resulting from the skiving isof :value, in ,securing a firm bond in the subsequent cementingof the: upper theoutsolelq,

v 1 When such, an ,cutsole assenibled'switha lasted-upper, the molding operation: resultsygin curving of, the outsoleto'conform to thelcurved bottombf the-last. As a consequenca theredge surfaces oi theoutsole :no longer lie paralleLlbut insteaduare inclined inwardly, 'so thatgthe: sole edges are visible fromaboyeu .Inthe subsequent trinmnngloiarounding; operation torestore the edgesof .thesble jto parallelism, care isneces 'sary to, avoid ,cutting into the stitchesadja'cent thetread side-ofpthe.outsole, since-the stitches, as .wellxas the sole edge, surfaces,x;become,;in'- 'clined during the molding of'the outsole; .1; U

To avoid thisdifliculty, therehasvbeendevised,

the, method and, a machine :for sewing. a welt and. outsole together wherein" the, stitches ;.are inclined with respect to theifiatr'outsole, so that upommoldingv ofthe: sole tosthexlasted upper, the

; stitch lines through theqiworlc will lbedirected in'tonsubstantial parallelism, permitting the sole- :edges'. to be finished .to proper 'shape-gwithout risk of cuttinginto .the' stitches adjacent the tread --face cfpthe'sole. Amachinefor-stitching in the above manner :is, cliscloseclinll, 5. Letters Patent to Hopkins, andv Bertrand;v No. 2233313,, issued 1 March FhlB lLy In, said patent the machine em-' ployed for the sewingoperation is provided with 1a .iwerk' support or, table, fixed at s ch a an with respect to the path a theneedle and awl 1 through thework thati the stitches are substan the outsole when tially inclined with respect to fiat.

The aioresaid machine is well suitedto; the

sewinjg of one weight or thickness of sole, for example, the ;relativelylight wei ht outsole for -womenfs shoes. I f, ho wei er, it is desired to sew. variousweights-of, outsoles on a single machine,

it se mssn ary- -Pr de d f rent Wor tables arranged to makedifferent angles with the ,path of. needle andawl through the work, in

' order that thefproper incli'nationof the seam 15, -margin of the outsole by aline Iof stitches. To

may be obtainedin every, instanee, Thus, a ta le ha provides he P 70262 angle f 'wom outsoles I causes, on heavy outsol es for n ens ,sho es, the stitches to be;-,thrown inwardly an excessive distance on the treadface of thesole,

as,well as drawingthe outsoleagainst the edge I breakage ofthegage, J

gage with i such, force as; to cause frequent I The present inventionhas as ancbject, there- ,fore, the provision-in a machinefor; sewing, a

- welt to the-marginpf an dutsole of a work table path of the needle. therethrough, ,wherebyjthe and, presser foot arranged to permit adjustment of :the angle which the work malges with the desired inclination, of the stitches ;appropriate 7 to the thickness of-the work may be obtained,

In sewing the outsole to the welted upper in a Goodyear welt shoe}, it is generally necessary,

when sewing, along the shank portion,- to tilt the v shoe considerably seas, to avoid contact of the needle (with the;upper, j ust aboy e the welt. As a result, the line ofstitches appears onthe botfrom the sole edge alongtheshank portion than around the iorepartof the;sole. In order that this more or less characteristic appearance of .a Goodyear. welt outseam may teammates as closely as possible in,a= cemented type shoe-it his desirable that theline of fstitchesby which the welt is attached to the outsole be spaced somewhat further fronrthe edge along the shank [of the outsole than aroundthe forepart of the tom ,of the shoe spaced spmewhat farther in tionship of the parts. I I I Since it is desirable in fairstitching a 1t t o an outsole that a groove be formed in the tr-ead face of the outsole in which thestitches may e laid, the presser foot is customarily provided withj a sole grooving knife or point arranged 'toiengage and groove the work immediately in ai lan eof the sewing point. In order that; 'in the-machine of the present invention, the grooveqmay be 1 formed in accurate alignment with the seam line for work-of various thicknesse's' and with different x ad justments of 'work angl'e,- the"-presrit invention has as a =further obje'ct the provision in the aforesaidmachine of novel and improved means for readily effecting bodily adj ustment of the 'presser foottr'ansvers'ely'of the seam dine, *w hereby, afte'r-su'ch other -adjustments as may be required 'have been made, the 'gmQVing pOint{may"quickly be brought into alignment with the seam line mentsu v v 'In-the' accompanyingdrawing's illustrating the without disturbing the previously -made' ad-justseveralfeatures of the invention, *Figure -1' is a view in right side elevation of the portion of a lock stitch sewin g' machine adjacent 'thesewing I point, with" the%W ork tab1e and presseri foot of the invention adjusted to support the work at a substantial inclination to "the needle path; "Figure? is" anoblique view, partly brdken'away, of the'work "table together wi'th the weltgui'de-anded'ge gage;-

Figure 3 isa detail right side'vieW-of'thepresser footand a portion of itssupportinga-rm'; Figure 4 isaright side View pf the'work =tiable=and its aejus'tab'le' welt guide and edge gafger Figur'e V 5 is a front elevation *of the parts "shown in Figure 4; -Figure 6 is atop plan view of the same; figure? is'a detail view, looking f rom thelef-t) of the an- "gularly ad'justable -connection between the work table and its ,s'upporting bIacket; j-Fi'gure't is a detail sectional *fvie'w of faportion -'of-a welt and outsolebeforea'ttachment toalasted uppenshow- --ing the 'inclinationkw'f the stitch line with respect to the treadfface; *andFigure 9 is a plan wiew of a' portion of the tread face 'of a welted 'out'sole as sewn' on the machineof-theinvention; illustrating the greaterispacing of the seamline from-the edge "of the shoe -alongthe sl ank' portion thereof-cornpared with around the toeyas*provided -by-the 'ad- The invention is-embodied*by"-way of illustration in alock stitch outsole-shoe'sewing machine cifthe same general type as that illustrated in "909 dated February 1, 19-16; The machine' employs a curved hodk 'needle 1 2 and-aourved avvl.

" l 4 actuated' "'alternaftely to -enter and withdraw fromth'e were along a "curved path, indicated by d d dash ineli v 1T0 support the-work properly {for sewing "the Welt 1 a tothe "outsolje n, I a worktable -22 is emp yed ha in iaitp uri ee 4 of "su s nt y greater ",area than the "conventional work table. ;;sup o isgtas ebyagpr e the outsole to "vent bending and distortionunderthe inward pressure 'whichthe operator "may be required to exert against the outer edge of the sole to maintain the work in proper position as it is being I I sewn, as more fully set forth in Patent No. 2,233,- 413 above referred to. A'slot 26 at the rear of the Work table provides passage for the awl and needle.

To enable the welt and sole to be sewn together lhyvaseamhaving an inclination.to,the.sole tread surface appropriate to the tl1 icl 'nes sof the par- 0 ticular work being sewn, the work table 22 is angular adjustment relative to the needle path at the sewing point. carriedby-a bracket 30 having a rearwardlyexmet? thegplace of the usual work support. At its f orw ard end the bracket is provided with a *ver'tioal face fl in which is formed an arcuate left side has a depending flange portion 38 the an arcuate shoulder 40 :-.wlhich .is received'iwithizi :the --guideway- 36. An larcuatenslot 42 in :the

-'bracket affords a passage for.clamping abolts 44 :by which :the :work :ta'ble imay zbe :Isecured in ad- ;-justed:position.

Imorderathat changes :in the seam inclination rthroughz-adjustment of the work table tangle zmay mot sappreciably disturb the spacing of the seam sline from zthe edge of then-work ongthe melt side I there'of L-the .awork ztable eis arranged tovbe ladjusted about La .fixed .oenterwhich is substan- :tial1y coincident 'with the point of intersection of the.inee'dle path US :with the surface of :the :workitabla such' point being indicatediat .43. Ac- Lcordingly, the arcuate guideway'flfi in the sup- -'porting:bracket 3'0 and 'the complementary arouateishoulder All :in the work table are conceng itrically disposed with respect ito point 46; so

ithat upon loosening-bolts the-work'table may readily be .tippedito theappropriate angle with-. I I

eout effect on the seam spacing on the welt side,

:(dimension alin Figure 78). 5 .rtAdjustment-iof the inclination "of the -presser 'ifoot 48 -;is likewise-provided enabling the work 7 to be clamped elfectively between substantially I sparallelisurfaces. Such adjustment is provided :by-iforming the l resser' foot'armJin two parts,

.;:-.u :50 :and352, the presser foot-being secured to=part ailswith theamajor-portion 52r ofthe -arm ext end- 1 ding,izearwardly toiitssupportingishaft hereinafter refenred .to, The two' parts have cooperating 3 clampingasurfaces whichdncludean arcuatelchanshoulder 56 "at the upper end of the portion 50, withaiclamping bolt 58 passing through slat 0.

lI hesradiusl of curvature :of :channelid and lshouls' I der 1-56 is \such I that 1 the center about which the 60 presserfiioot =swings, during its -adjustmentiiQr i-work inclination, lies .on the'iclamping Jfa'ce of the presser'sfootsubstantially in alignment with a mile solelgrooving point 62 '(see -Eigure:-3. Since apresser ifo'ot :arm :as hereinafter -.des'cri'be'd, 4s

lcaused to align accurately w lthf the seam lineon :the tread face of the sole-the zadj ustment :of zthe presser foo't' takes place Zabout' 'a lcenternwhi'ch 31S substantially coinci'den't width rthe v sewing zpo'int on the :tread face of the work, in :theg-same manefiected about a centeLcO'inciding' with the isewin'g '-1 )'o'i nt on the sothe'r iface of the woik, in this case' the' surlface of the Welt;- I,

' whe'so'le gand welt-are guidedlindependently mounted on the machine frame with provision for I To this end, the Work table is' tending armrarrange'd to be bolted to the machine :fr

channel or guideway 35. The work table at its clamping-surface of which is complementary in I 'shape to that .:of theibracket; '-being provided with 3 inel 5'diinzthe.armiflzand amomplementaryarouate ner that -the adjustment o'f the worktable as to the sewing point in accurately maintained'relationship by guiding mechanism which, though arranged-to permit adjustment in the course of sewing a "seam, is nevertheless. carriedientirely by the work table so-thatgadjustmentof the latter this end,; the work tableis providedwith a gageupwardlyltoward the sewing point fromnright to left, (FiguresZ, 5,and 6), the portion of-the slide devoted to this ,slopingportion being substantially wider, transversely of work. feed, than {a weltof l8 is received within a ShaHOWZChaIlHBI in the stop of the slide to lieifiush with; the surface." of

n for work inclination, isin no way hindered. "To

dental movement of I the slotted arm relativeto thestud. I i Since, the slot extends in a direction substan- ,tially perpendicular to a line drawn through the pi a c n r of th ll. cra k nd a on 4 end .ofjthe slot, on; inother words, is tangential rat e than a i na e it is ev dent a tat e jih ever sent it e accurately; controllable alongits guidewayfacroc A l normal spacingiof the" seam; the handle may. be

causes a small and he" work table. i .For

1 s'e't'in the position shown in Figure li'to provide averagewidth. A cover plate 'lfiseburejd by screws a searn spa'cing such. as shown by dimension'c in Fig'ureMQ. Upon coming to the shank portionof the sole; the operator will gradually push the hanc lle" rearwardly to move both edge gage and the work table, the portion!!! of the cover-which extends overl'the surface 14: being triangular in surfacethereof lies parallel toiupwardly sloping surface 74 to define the top of the welt passage.

y In order that different sizes and types of'welts' may beaccommodated, there is arranged within I the inclined space: between slide andfcover plate" a Welt guide which is not only transversely advjustable, butkalse readily removable topenmt the use of otherguides each espeeially suited to a gi-ven welt. The welt guide, illustrated at 80,

table surface while affording guidance toithe,

fweltfguideback from the sewing point slightly, toincrease the seam spacing to that represented cross section (see Figure .2) so that the under by dimension d in Figure The amount'of increase is limited byah adjustablestop screw'lfiil secured by'lo ck nut Hi3 ina fixed portion H2 time work table and-adapted to'engagef an extension II of the bell crank lever "lit; Theseam the pre'sser foot may be madeto align properly with the sewing'point on the tread faceof the work, it isnecessary that the presser fo'ot be "bodily adjustabletransversely"of the seam line.

Suchadjustme'ntmay not only be required upon a change from one presser foot to another," but welt substantially to thesewing point. The guide is secured in positionby means oi an integrally'formed forked car. 84 which is adapted to.

, be clamped to the side of the slide 10 at the rear I Theedge gagefor guiding the sole to the sewing point is likewisecarried by the cross-slide 10ior movementtherewith, and is provided with a work engaging portion 86 disposed to the .rearof the sewing point, the race being sub stantially'normal;

to thework table surface-and curved isli g ht ly also, in certain cases, as a result of shifting to work of different thickness, involving a resetting of'the inclination of work table and presser foot.

"In the machine of the present invention, "this adjustment is'effectedby journalling the presser foot arm 52 and its'integrally formed lever l i6 upon a fulcrum pin I8 having'an eccentric portion I20 which may be clamped within asplit sleeve I22 in the machine frame by stud I2 3. The

away from the line of ieed on either side orthe sewing poiniiiseeplan viewgj'igure 6 hrom its work engagingvportion the gage. extends to the right and rear to an integrally formed lug 88 provided with a horizontal slot' 90 throughwhichpasses a clamping bolt 92 by which theedge gage and the welt guide as'wjell are secured tothe' cross slide, the forked ear '84fof the welt guide being clamped beneath lug 83. Thus, by loosening bolt 92, theedge gage and welt guide maybe independentlyadjusted relative to one another and to the cross slide to insure proper guidance of welt and sole to'the sewing point in'the desired relationship. Likewise, the removal of one type.

or size of welt guide andre'placement by another pres'ser foot arm is journalied upon the portion l26 of the pin, andalsoupon the reduced end portion I28 concentric therewith, and is actuated to clamp and unclamp the work by connections inserted in slot 30 to effect bodily displacement of the axis of rotation of thepresser foot arm,

'line. The reduced portion E32 of the head of the point'transversely of the direction of the seam pin 'lii limits-therotationthereof to the ntla 7 g i a a lloekstitchrsewing machine for attaching The cross slide is adjusted along its guideway dining sewing to change "the spacing of i the' seam from the margin of the work by mechanism actuated by a handle MWhich extends'into aposition to be grasped'andlactuated conveniently by theoperator. The handle 584 terms one arrn" of a bell fcrank lever 96 pivotally 'mountedon a l stud 88 secured in the underside of theworktable. The other arm, at its outer end, iis piovidedwith j a straight, slot to through, which extends a stud Hi2 carriedby the cross slide H1 on its underside-i A Spring Washer Mi th ,9 1; vnet-i lit be-n l3 tto the presser foot lever'l It serving as a stop.

Having thus described the invention, what is "'a welt to the marginalportlon of an unattached foutjsole having; in combination, a-curved needle and acurved awl, means for guiding the welt and 'outsole to thesewing point', and a work'table supported on the 'machinewithgprovision for tilting adjustment abouta center substantially concentrio with apoint 'on'the needle pa'thadjacent the intersectionof the supporting surface of the work table therewithto permit adjustment of the iriclination offthe'welt andbutsole to the path'of in rement. b w i l'i ede l w h h w r and a curved awl, work clamping means including a work table for supporting the'welt and outsole adjacent the sewing point, and means for guiding the welt and outsole to the sewing point comprising a sole edge gage and a welt guide, a slide mounted in the work table for movement transversely of the axis of needle and awl, means for securing the gage and guide to the slide in independently adjustable position, and means carried by the work table for adjusting the slide during sewing to vary the spacing of the line of stitching from the edge of the sole while maintaining the relative positions of sole and welt.

11. A lockstitch sewing machine for attaching a welt to themarginal portion of an unattached outsole having, in combination, a curved needle and a curved awl, work clamping means including a work table for supporting the weltand outsole adjacent the sewing point, and means for guiding the welt and outsole to the sewing point including a slide carrying said guiding means and mounted in the work table for movement transversely of the axis of needle and awl, said slide having a passage therein upwardly inclined toward the sewing point, and a welt guide demountably mounted in said passage and adjustablerelative to the slide in the direction of movement thereof.

12. A lockstitch sewing machineffor'attaching a welt to the marginal portion of an unattached outsole having, in combination, a curved needle and a curved awl, means for guiding the welt and outsole to the sewing point, and work clamping means for supporting the welt and outsole adjacent the sewingpoint, said clamping means comprising a work table and a presser foot supported on the machine with provision for adjustment of the inclination of their work engaging surfaces to the path of movement of the needle and awl through the work, the presser 'foot having a grooving point projecting below thework engaging face thereof forforming a seam receiving channel in the tread face of the outsole,and means for efiecting bodily adjustment of the presser foot transversely of the axis of needle and awl to align the grooving point with the seam line.

CARL F. WHITAKER. 

